la ment



UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

P. A. LA MENT, -OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HERSELF AND ELIZA LA MENT, or

SAME PLACE. Y

IMPROVEMENT lN APPARATUS FORlMEASURING AND FITTING DRESSES.

Specification forming part of LettersPatent No. 57,254, dated August 14, 1866.

To all. whom it may] conce/fil..-

Be it known that I, P. A. LA MENT, of the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented a new and Improved Adjustable Skele ton Shape or Frame for Fitting; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, `forming part of this specitcation.

The present invention relates to a new and improved adjustable skeleton shape or frame, especially intended for the ttin g of the waists otl dresses and other articles of wearing-apparel to the form of ladies or misses, although it can be used in connection with the wearing apparel of gentlemen; and it consists in so constructing and arranging a skeleton frame or shape that when applied to the waist or body portion ot' a person it can be so adjusted and set as to perfectly conform thereto in every respect, so that if it be then removed from the person and properly set upon any suitable stand therefor to the adjustments made when on the persons waist and body a form or bust is thus produced exactly corresponding to such shape, over which a dress or other garment can be then fitted, which, when properly done,.must tit the person to whose form the skeleton-frame had been adjusted or adapted.

In accompanying plate of drawings my invention is illustrated, Figure 1 being a perspective view of the skeleton frame or shape applied to the waist and body of the figure of' a lady, so as to more fully represent the manner in which it is used; Fig. 2, an elevation of the front side of the skeleton frame or shape; Fig, 3, a detail view, on an enlarged scale, ot' one of the fastenings used in the skeletonframe; and Fig. 4, an enlarged section, in detail, taken in the plane of the line x Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A in the drawings represents my improved skeleton frame or shape, which in outline corresponds to the general shape of the waist or body and neck of a person, and consists of a' series of narrow horizontal bands or belts, B B, and a series of similar vertical or upright bands or belts, C, which two series of bands intersect each other, passing through, at their points of intersection, clasps I), suitably formed to accommodate both directions in which the several bands run or extend.` The series ot horizontal bands are placed one above another, a short distance apart, and, in connection with. the vertical bands C, are made of the proper lengths and bent into the proper shape that the frame thus produced will correspond to the i'orm or bust of a lady or miss, or gentleman orboy, according to the person on whom it is to be used. j

The horizontal bands are of a number sucient to embrace the entire body of th'e person and to extend from the hips up to the neck and shoulders, those below the armpits passing' entirely around the body or waist, while those above, and which at each side of the skeleton form openings to receive or allow the arms to pass through, simply extend across the iront and back of the body, as the case may be, their ends being joined together around the armholes and the neck-opening by suitable encircling bands E, as plainly shown in the drawings, especially Fig. 1.

Those'bands of the series of vertical bands which are upon the front and back of the form extend in each case, except the center one, from the lower end of the skeleton upon the front side up and over the shoulder portion of the skeleton, and thence down upon its back to its lower end or band. The center one, both upon the front and back of the skeleton, in lieu ot' extending over the shoulder, each terminate at the neck-band E, either upon its front or back, as the case may be. The vertical bands, which are upon each side of the skeleton, extend from the lower end of the skeleton up to the armpits or openings for the arms, to the encircling bands E of which they are secured.

In lieu of forming the horizontal bands or `belts B of one continuous strip ot' metal, those below the armpits or openings of the skeleton are made in three parts or sections, one of which is of suffcientlength to extend entirely across the back to the side vertical bands, and through the clasps D at such points, in which they are secured or fastened. by means of a prong or stud, a, attached to the outer end of a spring, b, secured to the band, this springprong, by passing it through an aperture made both in the clasp and band When brought in to the side bands; and each overlapping p01*-,

tion of the said bands'is provided with a series of apertures, so as to allow them to be adj usted in length to suit the variations which may occur in the dimensions of such portions of the waist or body of thc person as corresponding thereto. Y' y The remaining number of the horizontal bands, or those which extend from the armopenings of the skeleton, both upon the front and back of the skeleton, also overlap each other at the center band, and are to be similarly provided with apertures and fastenings' to those forming the lower portion of the skeleton, so that they also can be adjusted in length at pleasure, Vthe ends of such of these bands as pass both over and under the fullness of the breast being swiveled or pivoted to the encircling bands ofthe arm-openings, so as to v increase their adjustability to the form.

Such ones of the vertical bands as pass over the shoulders are made in two parts or sections, overlapping each other at the center line of the shoulders, Where they are-,secured to the clasps by similar fastenings to those hereinbeforeexplained, and also the encirclingbands of the arm and neck openin gs are made in tWo parts or sections, those forming the arm-openings being joined or secured at each end, both under the armpit and at the center line of the shoulders, by similar fastenings to that hereinbefore explained, as Well also as the neck-band upon the front of the same, as

plainly shown in the drawings accompanying this description.

From the above description of the constructionof the skeleton it is plainly evident that its several bands are susceptible of adjustment in length at pleasure, so that when applied to the body and waist of' a person they can be severally and separately made to exactly correspond thereto, so that if the skeleton be then removed from the person, which to doit is only necessary to open it upon one side, and then such side brought together again at the proper points, a perfect bust or form of the person Will thus be obtained, over which, first securing it to any suitable stand j or support therefor, a dress or other article of Wearing-apparel can be then fitted in the ordinary mannerl of fitting ladies dresses, Ste., as is manifest Without any further explanation.

The various bands of the skeleton it is intended at the proper parts to mark in lsuch a manner that a record can be made of the points at which they are adjusted orl set, so that if such adjustment is disturbed or changed each band of the skeleton can be reset to its proper length at any time, if so desired, the importance and advantages of which are obvious, as it increases the general utility and practicability of the skeleton-frame.

Although I have herein described one kind of fastening for the bands, it .is obvious that there are many other fastenings which may be employed, and therefore I do not intend to limit myself to any one particular form or style of fastening.

I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent- A skeleton frame or shape consisting of a 'series of bands, B and C, when so arranged and connected together that they can be separately and lseverally adjusted, substantially in the manner described, and for the purpose specified.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 2d day of August, A. D. 1865.

P. A. LA MENT.

Witnesses:

ALBERT W. BROWN, WM. F. MCNAMARA. 

